A23K FEEDING-STUFFS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ANIMALS; METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- HUMAN NECESSITIES
- Class:
- FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; PREPARATION, TREATMENT OR PRESERVATION THEREOF
- Subclass:
- FEEDING-STUFFS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ANIMALS; METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF
Description
Covers formulated animal feeds, pet foods, livestock supplements, and aquaculture feeds designed for specific nutritional or therapeutic purposes. Includes methods for manufacturing, processing, and preparing feed compositions tailored to particular animal species, production stages, or health requirements. The subclass encompasses feed additives (vitamins, minerals, probiotics), specialized formulations for poultry, ruminants, fish, and companion animals, as well as processing techniques such as pelleting, extrusion, and fermentation. Does not extend to general food preservation or human foodstuffs covered under A23B or A23C.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass A23K recorded 106,027 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 7,644 in 2013 to 6,446 in 2023 (-16%), peaking at 14,604 applications in 2017. The most active applicants in class A23 are KVASENKOV OLEG IVANOVICH (6,158 applications), NESTLE (4,562 applications) and NESTEC (3,354 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
A23K ranks 2nd of 10 subclasses with filings in A23, with 106,027 applications between 2013 and 2023, 10.9% of the class. Annual filings declined 16% from 2013 to 2023, below the class as a whole (+18%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A23L, Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Not Otherwise Provided for; Preparation or Treatment Thereof | Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Not Otherwise Provided for; Preparation or Treatment Thereof | 450,110 | 46.2% |
| 2 | A23K | Feeding-Stuffs Specially Adapted for Animals; Methods Specially Adapted for Production Thereof | 106,027 | 10.9% |
| 3 | A23N, Machines or Apparatus for Treating Harvested Fruit, Vegetables, or Flower Bulbs in Bulk, Not Otherwise Provided for; Peeling Vegetables or Fruit in Bulk; Apparatus for Preparing Animal Feeding-Stuffs | Machines or Apparatus for Treating Harvested Fruit, Vegetables, or Flower Bulbs in Bulk, Not Otherwise Provided for; Peeling Vegetables or Fruit in Bulk; Apparatus for Preparing Animal Feeding-Stuffs | 99,459 | 10.2% |
| 4 | A23F, Coffee; Tea; Their Substitutes; Manufacture, Preparation, or Infusion Thereof | Coffee; Tea; Their Substitutes; Manufacture, Preparation, or Infusion Thereof | 78,125 | 8.0% |
| 5 | A23B, Preservation of Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Chemical Ripening of Fruit or Vegetables | Preservation of Foods, Foodstuffs or Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Chemical Ripening of Fruit or Vegetables | 56,029 | 5.7% |
| 6 | A23P, Shaping or Working of Foodstuffs, Not Fully Covered by a Single Other Subclass | Shaping or Working of Foodstuffs, Not Fully Covered by a Single Other Subclass | 55,814 | 5.7% |
| 7 | A23G, Cocoa; Cocoa Products, e.g. Chocolate; Substitutes for Cocoa or Cocoa Products; Confectionery; Chewing Gum; Ice-Cream; Preparation Thereof | Cocoa; Cocoa Products, e.g. Chocolate; Substitutes for Cocoa or Cocoa Products; Confectionery; Chewing Gum; Ice-Cream; Preparation Thereof | 46,722 | 4.8% |
| 8 | A23C, Dairy Products, e.g. Milk, Butter or Cheese; Milk or Cheese Substitutes; Preparation Thereof | Dairy Products, e.g. Milk, Butter or Cheese; Milk or Cheese Substitutes; Preparation Thereof | 43,005 | 4.4% |
| 9 | A23J, Protein Compositions for Foodstuffs; Working-Up Proteins for Foodstuffs; Phosphatide Compositions for Foodstuffs | Protein Compositions for Foodstuffs; Working-Up Proteins for Foodstuffs; Phosphatide Compositions for Foodstuffs | 19,978 | 2.1% |
| 10 | A23D, Edible Oils or Fats, e.g. Margarines, Shortenings or Cooking Oils | Edible Oils or Fats, e.g. Margarines, Shortenings or Cooking Oils | 19,209 | 2.0% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Related Keywords
5 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- A23K 10/00 Animal feeding-stuffs
- A23K 20/00 Accessory food factors for animal feeding-stuffs
- A23K 30/00 Processes specially adapted for preservation of materials in order to produce animal feeding-stuffs
- A23K 40/00 Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs
- A23K 50/00 Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class A23, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- KVASENKOV OLEG IVANOVICH RU 6,158
- NESTLE CH 4,562
- NESTEC CH 3,354
- JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY 2,699
- DSM IP ASSETS (DUTCH STATE MINES IP ASSETS) NL 2,320
- SUNTORY HOLDINGS JP 1,926
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 1,804
- CJ CHEILJEDANG CORPORATION KR 1,653
- CARGILL US 1,588
- REPUBLIC OF KOREA (RURAL DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION) KR 1,314